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Hi all. I have been on cipralex and before that citalopram for 14 years. Over last two years have got my health in shape. Stopped drinking, got good nutrition and lost three stone. I was doing very well so decided it was a good time to taper of the escitalopram. Started taking a half tablet every third day which equates to a 3 mg reduction. All good so after 3 months dropped it to half a tablet every other day. This equates to a 5 mg reduction (on 20mg). Two weeks ago started to feel really dizzy, tired lethergic and heavy headed. Kind of detached and no energy. Was hoping it would subside. Anyone else felt the same? Is it normal? Will it end? Thanks. Jed
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amy75782 jed68633
Posted
I have been taking 10mg for 18 months and trying to come off them to try different medication to stop me getting headaches. My GP said take alternate days for a week and then every 3rd day for a week and then stop.
This is the 2nd day of not having one and I feel terrible. I've got a constant full headache and my eyes feel like they won't focus. I'm dizzy when I move too it's awful.
Will this stop? Please help!
amy75782 jed68633
Posted
I have been taking 10mg for 18 months and trying to come off them to try different medication to stop me getting headaches. My GP said take alternate days for a week and then every 3rd day for a week and then stop.
This is the 2nd day of not having one and I feel terrible. I've got a constant full headache and my eyes feel like they won't focus. I'm dizzy when I move too it's awful.
Will this stop? Please help!
jed68633
Posted
amy75782 jed68633
Posted
My head feels heavy and I keep having to squint my eyes, I'm not usually like this! Does anything make it better?
pat97152 amy75782
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amy75782 pat97152
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pat97152 amy75782
Posted
amy75782 pat97152
Posted
jed68633
Posted
benjamin09999 jed68633
Posted
Hey everyone, I've never blogged here or anything. But, I just celebrated 2 years clean and sober off off of alcohol, heroin, Valium, Xanax, Hydromorphone, Oxycontin, etc. blah blah blah. I have been on a maintenance dose of methadone for 2.5yrs. I don't care what anyone says, methadone and my will to better my life ended up saving my life. I was an IV drug user for 7years. Luckily I never ever, not even once shared needles, cookers, water, cottons, nothing with anyone else. Zip. Zilche. My father and brother are both MDs so I always overheard horror stories about ppl who shared IV drug paraphernalia. Very luckily, I am both Hepatitis C and HIV Negative, thank God. (Wow, I still get chills when I think about what could've happened and how fortunate I truly am!!!)
with all this being said, I have currently stopped taking Cipralex about 8 days ago. I titrated down from 20 to 0 over a short time. My heart's QT interval was starting to get effected (a symptom of longterm ssri use in congunction with an opioid) but I was mentally very stable for a long time so my doctor and I decided it was an appropriate time to get off the Cipralex. I am working, excercising, eating well, going to 4-5 NA meetings a week, seeing my addiction councellor every 10 days, etc. Now, here comes the tricky bit folks.
I felt fine for approx. two days after my last cipralex dose, however on the 4rth day from my last cipralex dose, I got what I can only describe as SEVERE withdrawal symptoms:
Vomiting, relentless diarrhea, crippling anxiety, and I was changing my clothes every 30mins or so from sweating and just my overall feelings of disgustingness, all day. I couldn't sleep thar night, by the next morning I had lost 3lbs and was feeling so weak and depleted that I couldn't even keep my eyes open. Now, I've got to reiterate the fact that, I've been thru brutal withdrawals from what're considered the worst drugs possible to withdrawal from: Opiods/Alcohol/Benzodiapenes (I guess barbituates are aweful to withdrawal from too, potentially lethal infact. However, that class of drugs really isn't prescribed in my country anymore).
Truly nightmarish stuff indeed folks.
However, here comes the punchline:
My recent detox from Cipralex felt JUST AS AWEFUL and mobilizing as those prior withdrawals from heavy booze/street/prescribed drugs!!!
It's been about a week or so off of the cipralex, and I am just starting to feel somewhat human again. Withdrawal from SSRI'S is nothing to be taken lightly! But I'm gonna stay true to the course in the hopes that over time things will level out. Most of the research I read confirms this, just varying in the amount of time needed to feel better from ssri withdrawals.
So please READ these words and take them to heart. Withdrawal from SSRI'S can be just as dehabilitating as the withdrawal symptoms from hardcore drugs and alcohol. It's not to be taken lightly. If I had the chance I'd do it again, I would taper/titrated the SSRI dose down slowly over a longer period of time. But have a plan with your
Dr(s) and family/friends to allow for the easiest transition. Best of luck to everyone.
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